REFUGIO – The Refugio County Commissioners Court approved the low bid of three submitted for the construction contract for Tivoli community water and sewer improvements in the Refugio County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1 on Tuesday morning, June 24.

Jerry Shepherd, engineer of the project, said the low and successful bid was Mercer Construction of Edna. Mercer came in with the low bid of $234,430.

The project, funded with a Texas Community Development Block Grant, has a budget of $244,000 and includes an arsenic removal process system for the community’s water system.

Shepherd said it would be two to three weeks before a pre-construction meeting would take place in Tivoli.

He said the project has until October 2015 to be finished by the state deadline. But the Environmental Protection Agency has extended the deadline once until December.

“But they probably will give us another extension,” Shepherd said.

In other court business, commissioners approved the sole bid for the county’s depository from Vantage Bank.

Commissioners also gave their yearly report on the county’s roads and estimated need for the next road and bridge budget:

Commissioner Ann Lopez said Precinct 1 would need $62,400.

Commissioner Stanley Tuttle said Precinct 2 would need $350,000, not including salaries.

Commissioner Gary Bourland said Precinct 3 would need $220,000.

And Commissioner Rod Bernal said Precinct 4 would need $180,000.

All four commissioners complained that the county’s signs—stop signs, yield signs and others—were being stolen at a high rate.

Commissioners also approved Lopez’s request to add a checklist for those wanting to use the community center and expo center buildings.

The checklist will be part of the contract to use the facilities and will require renters to stack chairs in 10s and wipe tables with a wet cloth after the event.